Sunday, May 29, 2005

'Orange Jews'



'Orange Jews'
May 29, 2005

Shalom.

I spent this past Shabbat with my wife in Beer Sheva. We answered a newspaper advertisement calling for volunteers to speak about Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron during a special Shabbat labeled "Standing Tall." People spoke in cities throughout Israel, focusing on Sharon's expulsion program, and what to do about it.

My talks centered around several topics: 1. Why is settling Eretz Yisrael so difficult; 2. Why should people outside of the 'endangered areas' care about Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron; 3. Why it's not too late to prevent the decree; 4. What to do now.

1. Why is settling Eretz Yisrael so difficult? Our sages teach us on the fifth page of the first volume of the Talmud (Brachot 5a) that G-d gave 'three good presents' to Am Yisrael, to the Jewish people, and all of them are received only via suffering and hardships: Torah, Eretz Yisrael and the next world. One of the most important Rabbis of the past hundred years, Rabbi Yosef Chaim, known as the "Ben Ish Chai" asks why these three 'good presents' can be obtained only following suffering and hardship. His answer is, on the face of it, quite simple. He says that G-d is trying us. He wants to know if we really and truly want them. If so, our dedication should be so great that even suffering won't prevent us from desiring them, at virtually any price.

Concerning Eretz Yisrael he asks if we want the land because it's comfortable for us, i.e., to enjoy its fruits, or rather, in order to perform the mitzvot (commandments or positive precepts) which are dependant on our being in Eretz Yisrael? Is our desire for Eretz Yisrael superficial, or can we, and do we recognize and appreciate the sanctity of the land?

If our love of Eretz Yisrael is authentic, we will pass the test with flying colors. We will be willing to suffer whatever hardships G-d bestows upon us. If our love is superficial, we will give up when the going gets rough.

It is clear to me that we are still being tested. We haven't yet proven our dedication to the land, and our belief that Eretz Yisrael is an integral element of our essence. In reality, the test of our endurance hasn't taken too much of a break since 1948, or even earlier, going back to at least, the beginning of the twentieth century. Then too settlers were willing to pay a very heavy price to live on the land. Yet, over the years, for many, that enthusiasm has dwindled.  Today we must continue to raise the flag, not surrendering to the shallowness of comfort and despair. 

2. Why should people outside of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron care? Speaking in Beer Sheva, this is a very easy question to answer. In December, 1998, now PA prime minister Abu Ala, (a.k.a. Ahmad Qurei) said in an interview printed in the official PA newspaper 'Al-Hayyat-al Jadida' "...International legitimacy (i.e. UN resolutions) recognized [the existence of] a Palestinian State alongside Israel through the partition resolution [of 1947]. This means that Israel’s legitimacy remained dependent and conditional upon the existence of the Palestinian State based on that same resolution, Resolution 181 of 1947." Furthermore, it should be emphasized that the [Palestinian] state has internationally recognized borders, which are the borders set in the [1947] partition resolution..."
"...There is no doubt that all the UN resolutions that recognized the creation of the Jewish State, on the basis of [UN] Resolution 181, included an inherent recognition of the boundaries of that Palestinian State, whose legitimacy still exists although it was not established at the time [1947].[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=conflict&ID=SP1898]

Any Beer Sheva resident taking a good look at the map of the above-mentioned 1947 boundaries will quickly realize that according to that agreement, the capital of the Negev would have the same status as Gush Katif following the Israeli retreat; i.e., Beer Sheva would be under full Arab control.
I asked my audiences, "if Beer Sheva were placed under siege, with all roads leading into the city blocked off, with an ultimatum of 'everyone out,' what would they expect from the rest of the country: that people would watch television, have a drink, and cry along with them; or would they expect everyone to join forces in trying to prevent mass expulsion from their homes?"
So too it would be with Hadera, Afula, Eilat or Tel Aviv.
The battle today is not for Gush Katif – it is a war for all of Eretz Yisrael. That is a main point which must be understood.
3. Why not despair? Can we really annul the decree? Of course we can. There's no question about it. If Jews fell into the pit of despair, we would have disappeared from the face of the earth a millennia ago.  Only faith and hope, prayer and determination kept the Jewish people's collective head above water. Even during the darkest hours, (and there were many of them,) we never gave up. Why should today be any different?
The story is told of Rebbi Akiva, who lived some two thousand years ago. An illiterate shepherd, married to the daughter of the wealthiest Jew in Jerusalem, Rebbi Akiva thought that he was beyond all hope, destined to a meager life in this world. One day Rebbi Akiva, watching water drip from above onto a rock below, realized that the water was boring a hole in the stone. "Ah," he thought to himself, "if a substance as soft as water can bore a hole in a substance as hard as a rock, then maybe there is still hope for me too." Rebbi Akiva left home to study Torah, and twenty four years later returned as one of the greatest Torah sages of Jewish history. The pillar of Rebbi Akiva's legacy is 'never lose faith and never give up.'
4. What to do today? Remember, every little bit helps. First, don't forget to pray. That's very important. Follow the Gush Katif web sites: www.katifund.org and www. katif.net in Hebrew and English. Various activities and programs are posted and these sites will keep you up-to-date. (For those of you who read Hebrew and live in Israel, see www.katifund.org/katifund/index.html to participate in an extremely significant project). Do whatever you can – donating time or money or both. Everyone who can get to Gush Katif, this is of paramount importance. Anyone who can plan on being here this summer, participating in various protests, or if and when the need arises, to be on the road to Gush Katif or the Northern Shomron on D-Day, can only be commended.
One of the things we're doing here in Israel is to fill the country with orange. Gush Katif leaders chose the color orange to represent the struggle against expulsion and abandonment of our land to the enemy. As a result, people are flying orange flags and ribbons from their car windows and antennas. Everyone is wearing orange Gush Katif shirts. You can do the same.
In Judaism, orange is a very interesting color. In mystical Jewish thought, orange is associated with an attribute representing "the power to continually advance, with the determination and perseverance born of deep inner commitment, toward the realization of one's life goals." [www.inner.org/sefirot/sefhod.htm] What could better describe the people of Gush Katif?

The Torah verse symbolizing this attribute is in Proverbs 10:9, "He who walks uprightly (innocently), walks securely;"

The people of Gush Katif are walking a path of purity and innocence. The result of such righteousness is Divine protection – total security. Despite the bombs, bullets, mortars and missiles, they remain steadfast in their faith, not willing to budge, not one inch. They are the "Vitamin C" of today's Judaism, filling us with faith, strength and energy. They are the genuine 'Orange Jews' of the Jewish people.
With blessings from Hebron.


Monday, May 23, 2005

Let's Play Mortars and Missiles


Let's Play Mortars and MissilesMay 23, 2005

High level sources, close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon are leaking. Drip, drip, drop. The rabbit is out of the hat. Sharon is in big trouble. Behind the scenes political analysts say that, quite literally, "the oil is boiling and an overflow is immanent." 

Recent secret polls show that a majority of Israelis now oppose the government's intended retreat from Gush Katif and the northern Shomron. The reversal of public opinion began following media revelations of missile factories in the Shomron and terrorist plans to start shelling coastal cities this summer. The downward trend continued with reports that the terrorists have obtained shoulder-launched surface-to-air Stinger missiles and plan on using them to knock down planes flying in and out of Ben Gurion airport.  Last week's massive bombardment of Gush Katif is the icing on the cake. Presently Sharon has given orders to hush up media accounts which reported that senior officers in Gush Katif are being denied the ability to prevent terror attacks upon civilians and soldiers. It was reported that senior IDF commanders are being denied permission to 'selectively eliminate' terror groups on their way to perpetrate attacks, such as the massive attack on Kfar Darom early Friday morning. Israeli combat helicopters, having spotted the terrorists, were denied permission 'to take them out,' and ground forces were not allowed to ambush the terrorists before they began their attack. The forces were ordered to 'guard at the fence.' As a result, these terrorist took over an abandoned UN school and started shooting missiles into Kfar Darom. It took an hour to get permission to use tanks against the terrorists, by which time two of the three Arabs had fled.

One reaction was the following letter addressed to Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi,  commander of the Gaza division of the IDF from Dan Amiel of Kfar Darom:

…You are certainly aware that we in Gush Katif, and especially in Kfar Darom,
have been suffering now for years. We have sustained losses, mothers and
fathers who were murdered, children with amputated legs and other serious
injuries, and now we are under enormous pressure because of the threat of
expulsion. Friends of ours are in prison. So you will understand that we are
not prepared in addition to all of the above also to have our security
undermined.

I am twenty years old, a father to a child, who under other circumstances
could have been under your command. Seven months ago as I came out of the
synagogue in Kfar Darom still in my prayer shawl and phylacteries I was
wounded by a mortar bomb. My injuries were considered fatal. I hovered
between life and death for three weeks in the emergency ward. One of my legs
was amputated and the other is paralyzed. I also have arm and belly wounds.
At the moment I am undergoing rehabilitation, together with soldiers such as
Ophir Livius and others.

The daily suffering we and our families have had to undergo is
indescribable. It is both physical, and also the knowledge that I and my
family will have to live on with me as a cripple, both physically and
mentally, with my daily pains and my best years spent in hospitals.

In view of their bitter experience the people of Kfar Darom will not stand
on the side while murderous terrorists attack us, our children and our
soldiers. We will not condone abandoning anyone to danger, certainly not for
political motives. Please pass on this message to your superiors. It is
unthinkable that terrorists on their way to commit murder are identified and
nothing is done to stop them, even though they use children as human
shields. We refuse to accept the price of more cripples, widows and orphans,
and permanently injured soldiers.

The IDF has shown in the past that it is perfectly capable of controlling
the situation. You are situated where you must take responsibility. Instead
of thinking about base political consideration and how things will look in
the media should adopt the saving of lives as your prime concern. We
appreciate all you have done so far and want to encourage you to continue
working on behalf of our national security.

Several other items seem to have Sharon on the run. A  new Israeli web site, initiated by MK Aryeh Eldad, [www.meri.org.il] calls for massive civil disobedience and includes suggested methods of operation, including: stopping paying taxes; returning Israeli ID cards (teudat zehut); returning IDF ID cards and/or reserve call-up orders; refusing to obey orders connected to the expulsion, blocking roads; closing the airports and docks with massive sit-ins; massive coordinated vacations from organizations backing and preparing the expulsion, in order to disrupt their ability to function; tying up the police and other security forces in various places in Israel, to prevent their participation in the actual expulsion; violating orders placing the areas endangered by expulsion off-limits to civilians.

On top of this, Israeli media reported this morning that very senior IDF officers are suggesting/demanding that the expulsion be 'postponed' for at least six months, saying that "Disengagement on August 15 will be very bad for Israel." The current Hamas attacks, fully coordinated with Abu Mazen and the PA, together with intelligence information pointing at substantial terror planned for this summer, lead military sources to view the Gush Katif/Northern Shomron expulsions as a dire threat to Israeli security.

Yet, the Prime Minister persists. In New York, he declared that the expulsion will take place as planned, that no changes are foreseen. Really?

I must relate a story I recently heard, from reliable sources: The IDF is having trouble finding people willing to participate in the expulsion. Not too long ago a meeting was held with two hundred pilots of the Israeli air force and high-ranking members of the General Staff. "We haven't found anyone else, so you're going to have to do the job, to go into Gush Katif and implement the disengagement. You will have support from the outside, but the main job will be yours."

When the speaker finished, one of the pilots stood up and said, "We will not be your garbage pails, we will not do your dirty work for you. None of us are going into Gush Katif to expel people from their homes." The other pilots applauded, all stood, and left the room.

In Jerusalem, dozens of students are staging a hunger strike, protesting the planned expulsion. According to one Gush Katif leader, Aryeh Yitzhaki, some three hundred new housing units are presently being built in the Gush. Three new Gaza Jewish communities are in the works. And on the other side, very few Gush Katif families have agreed to leave their homes. The cooperation between the expulsion forces and Gush Katif residents is virtually nonexistent.

There is one other side to this that I've neglected to mention. Again, a short story from a book called 'The Miracles of Gush Katif,' which details dozens of life-saving miracles that have occurred in the past five years in Gush Katif.

A group of children, arriving home from school in Gush Katif, decided to play a little game they call 'Mortars.' (Just like we used to play cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians, in Gush Katif, they play 'mortars and missiles.'  The game consists of one of the children yelling out 'mortar.' All the others have to immediately take cover. So, one of the kids cried out 'Mortar' and they all scattered, finding a place to hide. Just as they all found a place of protection, a mortar fell, exactly where they'd been standing, literally seconds before. Miraculously, none of the kids were hurt.

What I'm trying to say is, G-d is on our side.

With blessings from Hebron.


Sunday, May 22, 2005

Riding on Bush's (Donkey)


Riding on Bush's (Donkey)
May 22, 2005

High level sources, close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon are leaking. Drip, drip, drop. The rabbit is out of the hat. It seems that Sharon's frequent trips to the United States are not incidental. Behind the scenes political analysts say that, quite literally, "the oil is boiling and an overflow is immanent."  The shock waves are likely to cause more damage than the recent tsunami.

Recent secret polls show that an overwhelming majority of Israelis now oppose the government's intended retreat from Gush Katif and the northern Shomron. The reversal of public opinion began following media revelations of missile factories in the Shomron and terrorist plans to start shelling coastal cities this summer. The downward trend continued with reports that the terrorists have obtained shoulder-launched surface-to-air Stinger missiles and plan on using them to knock down planes flying in and out of Ben Gurion airport.  Last week's massive bombardment of Gush Katif is the icing on the cake. Presently Sharon has given orders to hush up media accounts which reported that senior officers in Gush Katif are being denied the ability to prevent terror attacks upon civilians and soldiers. It was reported that senior IDF commanders are being denied permission to 'selectively eliminate' terror groups on their way to perpetrate attacks, such as the massive attack on Kfar Darom early Friday morning. Israeli combat helicopters, having spotted the terrorists, were denied permission 'to take them out,' and ground forces were not allowed to ambush the terrorists before they began their attack. The forces were ordered to 'guard at the fence.'

One reaction was the following letter addressed to Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi,  commander of the Gaza division of the IDF from Dan Amiel of Kfar Darom:

…You are certainly aware that we in Gush Katif, and especially in Kfar Darom,
have been suffering now for years. We have sustained losses, mothers and
fathers who were murdered, children with amputated legs and other serious
injuries, and now we are under enormous pressure because of the threat of
expulsion. Friends of ours are in prison. So you will understand that we are
not prepared in addition to all of the above also to have our security
undermined.

I am twenty years old, a father to a child, who under other circumstances
could have been under your command. Seven months ago as I came out of the
synagogue in Kfar Darom still in my prayer shawl and phylacteries I was
wounded by a mortar bomb. My injuries were considered fatal. I hovered
between life and death for three weeks in the emergency ward. One of my legs
was amputated and the other is paralyzed. I also have arm and belly wounds.
At the moment I am undergoing rehabilitation, together with soldiers such as
Ophir Livius and others.

The daily suffering we and our families have had to undergo is
indescribable. It is both physical, and also the knowledge that I and my
family will have to live on with me as a cripple, both physically and
mentally, with my daily pains and my best years spent in hospitals.

In view of their bitter experience the people of Kfar Darom will not stand
on the side while murderous terrorists attack us, our children and our
soldiers. We will not condone abandoning anyone to danger, certainly not for
political motives. Please pass on this message to your superiors. It is
unthinkable that terrorists on their way to commit murder are identified and
nothing is done to stop them, even though they use children as human
shields. We refuse to accept the price of more cripples, widows and orphans,
and permanently injured soldiers.

The IDF has shown in the past that it is perfectly capable of controlling
the situation. You are situated where you must take responsibility. Instead
of thinking about base political consideration and how things will look in
the media should adopt the saving of lives as your prime concern. We
appreciate all you have done so far and want to encourage you to continue
working on behalf of our national security.

Several other items seem to have Sharon on the run. A  new Israeli web site, initiated by MK Aryeh Eldad, [www.meri.org.il] calls for massive civil disobedience and includes suggested methods of operation, including: stopping paying taxes; returning Israeli ID cards (teudat zehut); returning IDF ID cards and/or reserve call-up orders; refusing to obey orders connected to the expulsion, blocking roads; closing the airports and docks with massive sit-ins; massive coordinated vacations from organizations backing and preparing the expulsion, in order to disrupt their ability to function; tying up the police and other security forces in various places in Israel, to prevent their participation in the actual expulsion; violating orders placing the areas endangered by expulsion off-limits to civilians.

On top of this, Israeli media reported this morning that very senior IDF officers are suggesting/demanding that the expulsion be 'postponed' for at least six months, saying that "Disengagement on August 15 will be very bad for Israel." The current Hamas attacks, fully coordinated with Abu Mazen and the PA, together with intelligence information pointing at substantial terror planned for this summer, lead military sources to view the Gush Katif/Northern Shomron expulsions as a dire threat to Israeli security.

Yet, the Prime Minister persists. In New York, he declared that the expulsion will take place as planned, that no changes are foreseen. How is he going to accomplish this?  Really?

I must relate a story I recently heard, from reliable sources: The IDF is having trouble finding people willing to participate in the expulsion. Not too long ago a meeting was held with two hundred pilots of the Israeli air force and high-ranking members of the General Staff. "We haven't found anyone else, so you're going to have to do the job, to go into Gush Katif and implement the disengagement. You will have support from the outside, but the main job will be yours."

When the speaker finished, one of the pilots stood up and said, "We will not be your garbage pails, we will not do your dirty work for you. None of us are going into Gush Katif to expel people from their homes." The other pilots applauded, all stood, and left the room.

In Jerusalem, dozens of students are staging a hunger strike, protesting the planned expulsion. According to one Gush Katif leader, Aryeh Yitzhaki, some three hundred new housing units are presently being built in the Gush. Three new Gaza Jewish communities are in the works. And on the other side, very few Gush Katif families have agreed to leave their homes. The cooperation between the expulsion forces and Gush Katif residents is virtually nil.

There is one other side to this that I've neglected to mention. Again, a short story from a book called 'The Miracles of Gush Katif,' which details dozens of life-saving miracles that have occurred in the past five years in Gush Katif.

A group of children, arriving home from school in Gush Katif, decided to play a little game they call 'Mortars.' (Just like we used to play cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians, in Gush Katif, they play 'mortars and missiles.'  The game consists of one of the children yelling out 'mortar.' All the others have to immediately take cover. So, one of the kids cried out 'Mortar' and they all scattered, finding a place to hide. Just as they all found a place of protection, a mortar fell, exactly where they'd been standing, literally seconds before.

What I'm trying to say is, G-d is on our side.

With blessings from Hebron.


Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Jonathan, Welcome Home


Jonathan, Welcome Home
May 17, 2005
Independence Day ceremonies in Hebron are special. Standing in front of Ma'arat HaMachpela, site of the first real estate transaction in Eretz Yisrael; in Hebron, the first Jewish city in Eretz Yisrael; site of the tombs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Lea, the first Jews in Eretz Yisrael; celebrating the rebirth of our people in our land following a two thousand year exile, well, it's special.

For as long as I can remember, since initiation of this event in Hebron, the ceremony remains, more or less, the same. Speakers from Hebron and Kiryat Arba, plus a guest speaker, a short movie, fireworks, it doesn't change much. Yet it's never boring, there's always a kind of electricity in the air.

But this year was different. For two reasons.

First, due to the guillotine blade hanging over our collective head, held by a single strand of thin thread which seems to be quickly wearing away. There were those who opposed any celebrations this year, asking how such a festivity can be held when the very framework we live in is rejecting us, expelling us. Yet others, myself included, see it otherwise. As Rabbi Dov Begun told me a couple of weeks ago, 'what, because of one man who has to repent, because of him, we won't give thanks to G-d for giving us back our State, our Land, after two thousand years?" In other words, it's not the State, rather it's those running it. We have to change them, that goes without saying. But the very fact that we have a state which can be changed, that itself is a miracle we must praise G-d for.

So, celebrate we did, despite the emotional difficulties involved.

But this year was unique in another way, which, in my book, if for no other reason, made the whole thing worthwhile.

After the traditional ceremonies were concluded, the Master of Ceremonies, Yigal Kutai, rather than thank everyone for attending, said, "now I will ask everyone to welcome the Rishon l'Tzion, the former Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu." And with that, the revered Rabbi appeared.

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu is, within our circles, one of the two or three most highly respected religious leaders of this generation. Together with Rabbi Avraham Shapiro, Dean (Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Mercaz Harav in Jerusalem), Rabbi Eliyahu is THE authoritative figure for most all complex questions of Jewish law, concerning not only the private individual, but also 'Klal Yisrael' – issues pertaining to the public, the entirety of the Jewish people. A very close friend of Hebron and all other communities in Yesha, Rabbi Eliyahu has publicly called for Ariel Sharon 'to disengage from the disengagement.'

Rabbi Eliyahu's horizons spread out to the entire Jewish world. He has been an active source of strength and encouragement to Jonathan Pollard and his wife Esther for years. He makes it a point to visit Pollard during all his visits to the United States, and recently made a special trip in order to be present in the courtroom when the latest appeal was heard. 

This Independence Day eve, Rabbi Eliyahu arrived in Hebron to accept an award for Jonathan Pollard, promising to present it to him personally on his next trip to the United States. Kiryat Arba mayor Tzvi Katzover granted Jonathan Pollard a certificate of honorary citizenship to Hebron-Kiryat Arba.

The certificate reads:
The city of the Forefathers, Kiryat Arba-Hebron hereby grants honorary citizenship to our brother Jonathan Pollard for his heroism and dedication towards the security of the citizens of the State of Israel, today, Independence Day, 5765, the 57th year of the State of Israel, the 37th year since the renewal of the Jewish Community of Hebron, Signed: Rabbi Dov Lior, Chief Rabbi, Hebron-Kiryat Arba and Mayor Tzvi Katzover, Kiryat Arba-Hebron. "For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her triumph go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch that burneth." Isaiah 62:1

I must add that it is, for me, an honor and a privilege to be a resident in the same city with Jonathan Pollard, despite the fact that he doesn’t yet live here, but is still dwelling in a tiny cell in a Federal penitentiary in North Carolina. However, I hope and pray that the time is very near when we will be able to greet Jonathan here, at Ma'arat HaMachpela, the tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, as a free man in his Land, joyfully saluting him and welcoming him:

Welcome Citizen Jonathan,
Welcome, Brother Jonathan,
Jonathan, Welcome Home.

With blessings from Hebron.



Sunday, May 15, 2005

A Tale of Three Families


A Tale of Three Families
May 15, 2005

I left for Gush Katif with my wife and three of our children just after eight in the morning. An hour and a half later, we arrived at the Kissufim junction.
From David Wilder
Last year, as you may recall, following Independence Day (Yom Ha'atzma'ut), I wrote an article called "The Traffic Jam that Saved Eretz Yisrael". Tens and hundreds of thousands of people from around Israel arriving at Gush Katif to show support for a strong, continued Israeli presence in this area never made it, due to the huge traffic jam that clogged the roads leading into the Gush.

This year, the organizers, having learned from the past, set up huge parking lots just outside Gush Katif and shuttled people in and out of the Gush on buses. That's the way it was when over 120,000 people visited Gush Katif a few weeks ago, during the Passover holidays, and so it was yesterday, when over 80,000 Jews again arrived at Gush Katif.

I left for Gush Katif with my wife and three of our children just after eight in the morning. An hour and a half later, we arrived at the Kissufim junction. I was fortunate to be able to get my car through, and not have to leave it at the parking lot, and we drove on in. We made a brief coffee stop and then began the day's adventures. I told my wife that we were going to visit some places she'd never seen before, and we were off.

Our first station was 'dream village.' That's right. Shirat HaYam is the kind of place everyone dreams about, but few are able to actualize. There are sixteen lucky families who have had the good fortune to live the life you've dreamt about. Located in the heart of Gush Katif, across from N'vei Dekalim, the Song of the Sea, as the name is translated in English, borders the Israeli coast. Shirat HaYam's palaces sit only meters from the Mediterranean Sea.

We visited with Merav Cohen, married to Itamar, with three young children (and a dog). Ora (my wife) and I know Merav since she was about a year old. She and our oldest daughter Bat-tzion grew up together; for most of their childhood they were inseparable.

Merav and Itamar have been living in their Shirat HaYam palace for a few years now. Merav takes care of the kids. Itamar can't sit still. When we were at their home, he was off at work, on Independence Day. No, Itamar wasn't sitting in an office across from his computer. Rather, he was on a roof, a few houses away. Building. Building a new house.

What? Less than three months from 'expulsion'?! Who's he building a house for? Arabs!?

No. Itamar was hired to build a house for a family at Shirat HaYam, and that's exactly what he's doing. "'Disengagement?' What's that?"

I visited Merav a couple of months ago, and then found her bright and cheery. I sort of wondered how she'd be now. Any doubts I might have had were quickly erased. Smiling and as happy as ever, Merav expressed no fears or apprehension. "We are here ? this is our home. We are here to stay."

Anyone looking at Shirat HaYam's homes from the outside, well, they might ask me where they are hiding the 'palaces' I speak of. But believe me, each and every one of the caravan homes is a real, true palace. And the life, it is that of a king. Being able to look from the window at the waves of the Mediterranean rolling against the shore, or stepping outside, walking through the sand, and drenching yourself in the purifying waters of Israel's western coast ? it is nothing less than a dream.

Merav was very happy to see us and as we left, we promised to come back and visit ? maybe for a short vacation this summer, or during the fall Succot holidays in another half a year.

We left the magic of Shirat HaYam and drove to the southern-most community in the Gush ? Morag.

Driving the road to Morag, well, you wonder if you've hit the end of the world, or maybe you missed a turn somewhere. The sides of the road are sand ? and a fence. Not too far away, visible from the road, is Rafiach, not known for it's warm relationship with Israel or Israelis. The road to Morag has been shot at, bombed with mortars and Kassam missiles, and mined. Frequently, Israeli security forces discover bombs on the road. Sometimes they only find them as they explode.

The entrance to Morag dispels any and all qualms. The colorful sign, surrounded by grass and trees, is sight for sore eyes. All of a sudden, you feel like you've come in from the cold ? or perhaps in Morag's case, you've come in from the heat. It doesn't get too cold at Morag.

We drove around some of the neighborhoods and saw dozens of hothouses, which provide employment for many of the community's forty families. Then, we stopped to ask directions. Our daughter Ophira knows one of Morag's residents, and we decided to stop and say hello.

Rabbi Hagai Cohen and his wife Tirza have, if I remember correctly, nine children. A few years ago, while driving up the hill to his home, then in Eli in the Shomron, Rabbi Hagai's car was shot at and he was hit. Very critically wounded, he spent over a year recovering from his injuries. Last summer, when visiting Gush Katif, the rabbi talked to his wife about visiting a neighborhood 'all the way out.'

"No, that sounds too dangerous for me," was her response. This past winter, during the Hanukkah vacation, the Cohens moved from Eli to Morag.

Munching on homemade cookies, Rabbi Hagai, a school rabbi in Jerusalem, told us how he travels back and forth between Morag and Jerusalem a few times a week. "Next year, I won't have to make the trip; I'll be teaching here in Morag and in Gush Katif," he explained.

"You have to understand. When families first arrived here in 1983, they weren't super idealistic religious Jews. They were simple, traditional people, who came here to make a living with their agricultural talents. They transformed a tract of desert into a sea of blossoms."

How do they feel now, as D-Day approaches?

"You know, if they'd been offered substantial funds seven, eight, ten years ago, in return for their departure, they would have left. But now, after five years of war, missiles, mortars, they are adamantly opposed to abandoning their homes. And you know, it's not easy. We are new here and, of course, wouldn't receive damages following an expulsion, G-d forbid. But these people, they don't know what will be with them 'the day after'. They have many children, a job, a house, a hothouse ? and all of a sudden ? they ask, 'How will we feed our children? Where will we find work?' One man works for the Gush Katif municipality, and he knows that his employer may cease to exist. So what will he do? The temptation to sign on the dotted line, take the money and run - it's very strong. But these people have all resisted. None are giving in. Not a one."

We bade farewell to our newly-found friends, wishing them a happy Independence Day holiday, and continued on our way. We drove all the way back to the other side of Gush Katif, to our home away from home, Kfar Darom.

Independence Day was a very special day for this community, today closing in on 100 families. Kfar Darom originated in 1946 and fell during the War of Independence. It was reestablished in 1989.

Over the years of warfare, mortars and missiles were aimed directly at Kfar Darom. Five of its residents were killed by Arab terror. An IDF soldier was killed by a direct mortar strike. Others were critically wounded, including Mrs. Hannah Barat, a thirty-nine year old mother of eight, who was struck by a terrorist-fired bullet and paralyzed from the waist down. She became pregnant and gave birth to her eighth child after sustaining her injuries.

On Independence Day, thousands filled Kfar Darom, celebrating the construction of their new synagogue, built in memory of the five victims of Arab terror. A new Torah scroll was also dedicated. A festive parade, starting at a huge stone monument at the site of a bus blast that left two dead and many wounded (including the three Cohen children, who had their legs blown off), made its way into the community and to the beautiful new synagogue. The ceremony continued for several hours, with participants from all over Israel.

Following the celebrations, we made our way to our friends, Tali and Noam Sudri, whom we've known for many years. There, we found other family members visiting them, from as far away as the Golan and Jerusalem. Sitting at a decorated table, enjoying a holiday meal, the Sudris and their children showed no anxiety or fear: "The children ? no they're not concerned. They're sure ? we're here to stay." Speaking during the meal, Noam talked about the verse in Psalms (126:1), "A Song of Ascents. When the L-RD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like dreamers."

You might expect, during an Independence Day on a date closing in on 'expulsion', an event proving just how independent we are not, people might be so bitter that they would refuse to celebrate, cursing, rather than blessing the state within which they live. But not the Sudris, and not the other hundreds of people who live in Kfar Darom. It was a holiday, the dedication of the first permanent synagogue ever built there, a synagogue waiting to be built since 1946. Just as others in Gush Katif and the northern Shomron, they continue to build, continue to look forward, continue their lives, optimistic and happy, happy to be fulfilling the mitzvah, the positive precept, of settling the land.

There is a special sanctity in Gush Katif. The fragrances of salt-water and the perfume of flowers fill the air, and the unbelievably vast faith of these 9,000 families is so tangibly abundant, that it is, in my opinion, infinitely larger than the sea so near to them. This is the tale of three families, three who are thousands, three who represent the entirety ? from Morag, to Shirat HaYam, to Kfar Darom. These are true Israelis, true believers, true patriots. These people, they are the future of our people in our Land, in all our Land. 

Monday, May 9, 2005

'The Jews will be victorious'


'The Jews will be victorious'
An interview with Naomi Ofen
May 9, 2005

Shalom.

Last night 34 year old Neria Ofen, from the Yitzhar community, was incarcerated via an administrative arrest warrant. This morning I interviewed his wife, Naomi.

Tell us a little about your family:
We have a regular family with four cute children. We live on the eastern hilltop of Yitzhar, we've been here for about six years. We are married almost 9 years. Our oldest child is eight and the youngest, one. Neria grew up in Jerusalem and learned in Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva in Shechem.

What kind of activities is Neria involved with?
Neria helped found and organize Sivuv Sha'arim (Around the Gates), when Jews sing and dance around the walls of the old city in Jerusalem, on the eve of every new month, hoping and praying for the for rebuilding BetMikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem. They began this about four or five years ago. He works very closely with the policemen and police officers.  Everything is done with full cooperation and coordination with police – As a matter of fact, the policeman who arrested him last night said, "I know Neria him from Sivuv Sha'arim. What's this all about?'

So Neria knows a lot of people?
As a result of these activities, Neria knows tens of thousands of people.

What did he do when Sharon's expulsion plans started? Did he do anything?
Of course, just like every Jew who cares and cannot sit quietly, watching such a terrible thing. He worked primarily with the project, "Jews don't expel Jews," explaining to soldiers and police to listen to their Jewish conscience and not participate in this.

What kinds of persuasion did he use – would he try to convince anyone violently?
No, he is very gentile. He only talks, even when he's arrested, he just sits and talks with police, helps them put on them tefillin – he's not a person of force -  he's an ideologue- he speaks and explains, but not with force.

What happened last night?
We were on the way to Sivuv Sha'arim, the monthly program in the old city. It had been canceled because the police were afraid that Jews would try to get onto HarHaBayit, Temple Mount. But Neria's conscience wouldn't allow him to stay home, abandoning the plaza in front of Temple Mount, by the Wall.  The organization has a rule that if the event is canceled, someone has to be there to greet those who didn't hear that it was canceled, and to tell them. We all drove in. And when we arrived in Jerusalem we were stopped by plain clothes police who identified themselves and told Neria to accompany them. They wouldn't let me give him money or a cell phone.  I said to them, "let me give him money so he'll be able to get home after he's released, how will he get home?"  

They laughed at me and said "no he won't be coming home, it will be a long time, within 48 hours he'll see a judge." I asked why 48 hours, because according to law, he can see a judge within 24 hours. They answered,   "yes, but this is a special case,  the defense minister himself signed the warrant so it will be 48 hours." When I said, "I understand that it's an administrative arrest," they didn’t answer me. They ignored me.

Has anyone called you?
From the police? No. And I haven't spoken to Neria since. No one else has called me except MK Aryeh Eldad who wished me a kind of congratulations (yashar koach).

Did you expect this to happen?
From the beginning of this expulsion plan we would talk, with neighbors, on Shabbat, it was clear that they would do this, use administrative arrests, like with the Oslo Accords. When they want to do something like this and there are opponents, they use these kinds of tactics.

Did he see himself as a candidate for administrative arrest?
No, not on a personal level, we discussed it more on a more general level, and unfortunately I don't think he'll be the last one.

According to media reports today, Neria was arrested because he was planning attacks against Arabs.
That's a good joke. He's not the right person. I'm not saying it's good or not good to do such things, but it's not him. Let's put it that way, it's not Neria!  He wouldn't touch a fly.

So why was he arrested?
It's Ariel Sharon. He knows that there are people who are so dedicated that they are willing to give everything for our land and Neria is one of them.  Sharon's under pressure, pressure that's preventing him from doing what he wants. 

Neria isn't an organizer, he was never a 'public figure' who was invited to meetings, someone who everyone knows his name. We are very simple people. He wasn't really involved, except for Sivuv Sha'arim, which was his pet project. He's not one of the heads of Yesha.

Did he ever receive any kind of warning due to his activities with 'Jews don't expel Jews?"
Never. Neria is not a secretive person. Everything he did was out in the open. Everything. He's not secretive. The opposite is true. When talking  with friends, he would tell them to be openly arrested,  not to be afraid, not to do things 'behind other's backs.'  That's the way it was with Sivuv Sha'arim , everything was done with full cooperation  with the police. He's not the right person.

Did you take a lawyer?
Take a lawyer?  It was really funny.  The policeman told me to call Zangi (Shmuel Medad) from Honenu [www.honenu.org.il] (Watch the movie!). "He'll take care of everything, he knows what to do, they do the work great." I told him I know Zangi and thanks for the advice.  And they are taking care of it, it's not my responsibility. It's a big mitzvah to donate to Honenu. Anyone who wants can contribute to them and say it's for Neria.  I'm not involved in the legal side of things. Thank G-d I have four children and I'm a teacher.  That's what my time is for.

You don't sound overly upset.
Look, I can't tell you that I'm  happy and that I slept well last night. But, if this is what's right to do, if this is the price we have to pay because we love Eretz Yisrael, we'll pay it with joy and happiness.

So you wouldn't tell people to stop being active, because they might be arrested and leave their wife and kids alone for a few months?
No, to the contrary, I would tell everyone that they should be arrested, they should go out and block roads and be arrested.

Look, I have four children. I live in a hill-top community, not in a regular community, not in a protected house with everything close by. My children are very dependant on me to get from place to place and I work a full-time, I'm a classroom teacher.  My life isn't a summer camp.  I don't have a grandmother living next store to make our lunch every day. It's clear that now things will be more difficult, we'll have to rearrange our lives – Shabbat, holidays, that's clear.  He's supposed to be arrested until after the expulsion, the order is for four and a half months.

What did you do after Neria was arrested?
We went shopping in Jerusalem. After Passover the house was empty.

What happened to you on your way home?
On the way home they threw a fire-bomb at us near an Arab village, near Eli. It didn't hit the car, we saw the fire and kept driving.  There weren't any security forces in the area,  not even one jeep. That area is very problematic. Not long ago they threw rocks at us there. It's a well known Arab village.  There's an Arab house there that the army used as an outpost but now, because of the peace…  they removed the outpost, but the army know about the area…

And now?
Now we are rearranging our lives.  We are happy with our lot in life. We have a father – a good father – a tzadik, a righteous man, and we're proud of his deeds. Let me conclude with the words of Adir Zik, of blessed memory:  "The Jews will be victorious."

With blessings from Hebron.






Monday, May 2, 2005

He Haita l'Rosh Pina


He Haita l'Rosh Pina
by David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron
May 2, 2005

Shalom.

Passover is now behind us. The holiday was both relaxing and invigorating – a chance to spend more time with the family and more time with Am Yisrael. Here in Hebron, well over 30,000 visitors flocked to the streets, partaking in tours of Ma'arat HaMachpela and all the Jewish neighborhoods in the city. The pinnacle of Hebron's holiday came on Tuesday, when thousands celebrated the dedication of Beit Menachem, a new apartment building in the Admot Yishai-Tel Rumeida neighborhood. This structure, named for the Lubovitcher Rebbi, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shneerson zt"l, houses seven families and the Ohr Shlomo Torah Center.  Participating in the ceremonies were Rabbis: Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Chief Rabbi and Rishon l'Tzion, Dov Lior, Chief Rabbi of Hebron-Kiryat Arba, and Leibel Gruner, former secretary to the Rebbi. Speaker of the Knesset Rubi Rivlin, a staunch friend of Hebron and an unwavering supporter of all Eretz Yisrael also participated, and spoke not only about the significance of Hebron, but also of the vital importance of Gush Katif and the northern Shomron. Rivlin steadfastly opposes Sharon's plans to abandon these regions to our enemies.

The dedication ceremonies included an official introduction to the Tel Hebron Excavations, located directly under Beit Menachem. Fascinating artifacts, dating back over four thousand five hundred years – i.e., to the days of Noah, - were discovered during this archeological dig, some five years ago. Amongst the finds: a four thousand five hundred year old wall, a four thousand year old road and house, and wine cisterns only 1,500 years old. Archeologists also uncovered seals imprinted on pottery from the era of King Hezekiah, some 2,700 years ago, which had written on them, in ancient Hebrew, the word 'Hebron.'  After these seals were discovered the archeologists told us, 'if anyone had any doubts as to whether this is the authentic site of ancient, Biblical Hebron, those doubts have all been erased. We have positive proof that Jews lived here from the days of Abraham.'

Of course, celebrations could not have been complete without the semi-annual Hebron music festival, outside Ma'arat HaMachpela, where Israeli artists performed all afternoon for crowds of music-lovers.

However, this Passover, the limelight of activities was not only in Hebron. All eyes were on Gush Katif and the northern Shomron, the focal points of this spring's holiday. The tens and hundreds of thousands of Jews who flooded these regions with a massive outpouring of love and support, proved again that Am Yisrael is bound to its land with all its heart and soul. There were those who used these activities to eulogize the twenty six communities and their almost 10,000 residents, calling the events a kind of 'last hurrah' or farewell. But in reality, these outings were nothing of the sort. They were only a predecessor for what will occur should the Sharon expulsion plan actually begin. These hundreds of thousands, and many more, whose beliefs are identical, will take to the streets on the day these areas are declared 'off-limits,' and if, G-d forbid, following Tisha b'Av, the police and army should move in. The vibrant electricity that was in the air, the determination never to give up, never relinquishing our land, never to lose faith, to continue to grow and build, was tangible.

I had never before visited the Homesh community, located in the Northern Shomron. In truth, standing at the neighborhood's highest point, I could not believe my eyes. Looking west, the Mediterranean Sea clearly visible, only 30 to 40 kilometers away. From the top of Homesh you can see, on a clear day, from Netanya, via Hadera, to Tel Aviv and further south, to Ashdod. It is truly unbelievable. No, not the view – that too is breathtaking. Rather, what is unbelievable is that an Israeli prime minister initiated a plan to give this land, free of charge, to our sworn enemies. This peak is one of the most strategically important areas in Israel. It overlooks the entire coast. My host, Benny, who has lived there for many years, told us unequivocally, "Arik Sharon knows this land like the back of his hand – he knows exactly what he's giving them." Unbelievable. Only last week Ma'ariv internet [nrg.com] headlined the fact that anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry has reached Judea and Samaria. Missiles knocking down aircraft landing or taking off from Ben Gurion airport is not a laughing matter. Yet in this morning's press, it was reported that Sharon is considering transforming the four north Shomron communities into 'camps' for the so-called 'palestinian police.' I guess that will be good training for them – looking out from the Shomron hills, down at the coast, planning their next terror attack, from air, land or sea.

I did hear one very interesting story which I feel almost obligated to repeat. A company (I don't remember which), after receiving the contract to evacuate all the material property belonging to families, offices, organizations, etc. as part of the expulsion program, concluded that they would need two thousand gigantic containers, utilized around the clock, in order to fulfill their 'mission.' The only company in Israel that could provide such containers is the Israeli shipping corporation, Tzim. When they met with Tzim executives, asking how many containers the company could provide, they were told, 'three or four hundred at most.' Shocked, they insisted that Tzim obtain all the containers they needed, but were refused. 'It can't be done – it costs too much money – we can't do it.'

So, if containers are out, what next? They then approached the largest trucking company in Israel and began negotiating with them for a huge fleet of trucks. When the trucking executives asked why they needed the vehicles, they were told, 'for the disengagement.' At that point the trucking company executives pointed to the door and said, "please, will the last one out please shut the door."
"Why, you don't want the contract?"
"Maybe you didn't hear correctly. The meeting is over."
"But why…?"
"The owner of this company made it quite clear – whoever lifts one finger to assist with the so-called 'disengagement' can start looking for a new job. Have a good day."
This morning Minister of Diaspora Affairs Natan Sharansky submitted his resignation from the government due to his opposition to the abandonment of Gush Katif and the Northern Shomron.  Though he has not ruled out leaving Gush Katif as part of a 'final status' agreement, Sharansky said, (as quoted from the Jerusalem Post), "Will we, by leaving Gaza encourage freedom of expression and a judicial system that protects human rights? Will the incitement in the Palestinian education system cease? Will the terror groups be dismantled? The answer to all of the above is of course, no."
In an interview with Army Radio Monday morning, Sharansky said,"I have always believed that the disengagement plan is a heavy price to pay and encourages terrorism."
He added, "A cabinet seat is not a job but a mission. When the only justification for the government's existence is the implementation of the pullout, I do not feel it is my mission."
Sharansky is to be lauded for his courage and honesty. Israel needs more politicians of such integrity.
I might add several quotes from Friday's Ha'Aretz newspaper: According to a senior-ranking IDF officer: We must accept, as a fact of life, that immediately after the disengagement the 'West Bank' will erupt in flames. We cannot allow the other side to have Kasam missiles and anti-tank weapons."
"Why don't officers speak openly about the dangers of eruption after the disengagement? When senior-ranking officers are asked about this, they usually tend to be evasive."
I began this commentary with the dedication of Beit Menachem in Admot Yishai. One of themes repeated by several of the speakers was from Psalms 118:22, "Even ma'asu habonim – he haita l'rosh pina," which means, "The stone which the builders rejected became the corner-stone." This verse can be interpreted representing many different events, but I think today, its significance is clear. This land, which some people have despised and rejected – this land is to become the most significant of all. Gush Katif, Samaria, Judea – the land unwanted by the builders – this land will be known as the cornerstone of Eretz Yisrael. 
With blessings from Hebron.